It's also worth noting that the better American cars being made today are actually very solid. The beating Detroit took from Japan and Korea in the 80s and 90s has paid off - they've made HUGE improvements in the past 10 years.

My impression at the time was just about every damned body's cars sucked during the '80s. Ugly, too.

It's also worth noting that the better American cars being made today are actually very solid. The beating Detroit took from Japan and Korea in the 80s and 90s has paid off - they've made HUGE improvements in the past 10 years.

My impression at the time was just about every damned body's cars sucked during the '80s. Ugly, too.

Yeah... But the Japanese ones at least got 35 miles to the gallon and cost half as much.

The worst car I ever owned was a 1974 Buick Apollo. I used it for winter transportation for a year or two when I was living in Rochester, NY. It was the Buick version of the Nova body style.

It was an ugly 4-door inline-6-cylinder car that had the worst dieseling problem I have ever encountered. I remember driving it to the store, shutting off the ignition, and still hearing the car running/sputtering as I would enter the store after walking across the parking lot.

I can't remember if I drove it for one winter or two, but by the time I was done with it I couldn't sell it because the frame was rotted so badly it was dangerous to drive.

I don't care too much for the styling of cars from the 70's on up, but the 80's was the ugliest decade ever for cars, and it has only gotten marginally better since then. The newest car I have ever owned was a 1977 LTD.

Yeah... But the Japanese ones at least got 35 miles to the gallon and cost half as much.

From my experience the main problem encountered with Japanese 1980s cars was that when they DID need service it could be difficult finding US mechanics willing to work on them. The space under the hood was VERY tight and sometimes the engines were assembled in baffing ways. I had more than one guy refuse to work on my Nissan because they "can't fit their hands inside the damned thing".